Steam-boiler.



H. 1. WEBSXER,

' STEAM BOVILER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 11'. 1916.

g, Patent@ May s, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

- H. l. WEBSTER.

STEAM B-ILER.v APPylcATloN FILED APR. 11,1916.

L; Patented May 8, 1917.

A2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@@@OQQQR QQQQOQQQ@ QQ@ E a citizen of .Philadelphia,` in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented FFE.

Homann J. WEBSTER, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-BOILER.

Specification of Letters .Patent Patented May e, ieri.

Application yfiled April 17, 1916. i Serial No. 91,642.

To aZZ'wwm t may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD J. llnnsrnn, the United States, residing at l .which the lower vsection of the boiler shell is disposedl over the combustion chamber ofthe furnace and the hot after flowing .the length of the boiler in one direction andl impinging against and radiating their heat against the underside of the boiler shell,

pass through the longitudinal tubes or fines within the' boiler in the opposite direction land out to the stack.

The objects of my invention are.: First, to construct a steam boiler of the type above indicated, inwhich the fire .tubes or flues within. the boiler are so arranged 'and grouped, as to promote a positive circulation of 'water and eiiicient production of steam without priming within the boiler, and at the same time by virtue of such arrangement and grouping of tubes or flues, and non-interference of the moving masses of water due to proper circulation of the water in the boiler, permit` the generated steam globules." to rise swiftly and pass in a direct path from the above indicated and properly disposed fire tubes and be liberated at a maximum steam disengaging area with a minimum resistance throughout each 'transverse vsection of the entire length of ythe boiler. Second. to construct a steam boiler in which the arrangement andgrouping of the lire tubes are such in which alllthe func.-

tions and advantages above indicated are efficiently carried out. yet the boiler may be properly constructed and installed at a minimum cost, and all the interior and ei:-

terior surfaces of the .dre tubes be quickly inspected and cleaned. Third, othcr'advantages of construction and operation of my invention will be. apparent and be more fully disclosed inthe detailed description.

The invention consists of structural features and relative arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out 'in the appended. claims.

i ln the two sheets of drawings in which saine parts in the several figures: Figure l, is a longitudinal sectional view of a boiler and furnace embodying the pr ferred ar angement of my invention;

Fig. Q, is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the boiler showing the arrangement of the groups of the fire tubes and the dis. position of said tubes'in the several groups; and

Fig. 3, is a similar view asFig. 2, showing a modified form of my invention'with circulating funnels placed in position between the groups of lire tubes.

Referring to Fig. 1, 10 is the cylindrical boiler shell provided with theimproved arrangement and grouping of fire tubes to be presently described. Said boiler shell'lO is properly supported on any common and well known formof'side walls, by means of rods 11, engaging the oppositesides .of the boiler similar Vreference characters indicate the' shell l at their lower ends and having their v upper ends carried by AI-beams 12 supported by said side walls. .Said boiler shell is incased by the usual furnace front 13, provided with the fuel opening 1l, and ash pit opening 15. A back wall 1G is properly disposed with respect tothe rear of the boiler shell in order to form the usual fire chamber 17 having an opening 18 leading to the exterior. Grate bars are properly supported to receive the fuel thrown into the furnace chamber 20, and 21 is the ash pit. The furnace chamber 20 under the forward end of the boiler shell communicates with the rear fire chamber 17 by a combustion passagewayZQ directly under the rear section of the lower side of the boiler shell 10 extending from the vbridge wall 20 to the chamber 17, and said passageway 22 is semicircular -in cross-section and made to conform to the curvature of the shell b-y-brick work 23 as indicated, in order to have the heat of the .furnacegases deflected andmade to impinge against the underside of the boiler shell. The boiler shell 10 is provided with front tube sheet and rear tube sheet and smoke box 26 having an openingQ,

which leads to a stack, not shown. All the openings lil, 15 and 18 may be supplied with the usual form of doors common in boiler 'furnace constructions. The partsl of the boiler and. furnace described as above indiknown types ot boiler turnaees and torm no part ot the distinguishing teatures ot my invention.

litlurl said boiler shell l0, and having their ends properly secured to the iue or tube sheets and are arranged a plurality ot lire tubes 2G, 26 (see Fig. 2), said tubes QG are preferably arranged in three groups or banks, a central group or bank A. and two side groups or banks B and C, and the central group or bank A. being separated trom the two side groups or banks B and (l, by narrow passageways 2S. and each ot the two side groups or banks l?) and C being also separated trom the boiler shell by a passageway 29, each oi' said passageways 2S and 29 entendit; longitudinally th tull length ot Athe boiler and trom the uppermost row tubes to the lower section ot the boiler shell 10.

rllie lmilertubes 26. 26 ot each group or )ank are arranged as shown. in Figs. i2 and 3, in vertical rows with the horizontal rows staggered, and said are made proportionately smaller and in gre. er number than tubes usually employed in boilers ot the lire tube type, thereby providing a larger area ot heating surface tor the same diameter ot boiler than 4herctotorc employed.

The above arrangement ot tire tubes torms uninterrupted and vertical circulation paths tor the Water and steam and at the same time vertical spaces between the tubes, whereby easyaccess maybe had to examine the lire tubes and permit the inspection and cleaning ot every part ot the water surtace ot each tube.

Furthermore, by arranging the tire tubes in vertical rows' with the horizontal rows staggered, the centers ot the uppermost row ot lire tubes will not be in the. same horizontal plane. and hence the steam disengaging width between the sides' ot Athe uppermost row ot lire tubes and boiler shell (as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2)', is greatly in access ot the old style ot arrangement ot lire tubes or lay out, and hence permits a quicker disengagement ot the globules ot steam and reduces priming to a minimum, and assures a maximum amount ot dry steam under all conditions ot work, which is a most essential. tedature in the etlirient` operation ot a steam plant.

' It desired circulating tunnels 3l), 30, may be placed at suitable intervals along and in the nai'ro'--..Y passageways 28, Q8 between the groups or banks A, B and C ot tire tubes 2G, 2G, as shown indotted lines in Fig. l. Said tunnels 30, are ot such size and torm as will enable them to be passed through the manholes 3l ot the boiler as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. The tunnels 30 are enlarged at their upper ends so as to rest on and be supported by the upper tire tubes,

and at the same time lead tlie upper 4Water into the tunnels and are ot such length vas toeXtend down to the lower' tire tubes as shown.

The operation ot the invent-ion is follows:

The boiler having been i'illed to the proper level and the tire started, the products ot combustion and tui-nace gases will first im-l pinge against the lower portion ot the boiler shell 10 nearest the combustion chambers 20 and 22 and then turn back within the chamber 17 and pass through the dritterent groups or banks A, B and C ot tire tubes "/lt, 26, within the boiler shell l0 and thence into the smoke box 2G and'tinally out ot the opening 27 to the stack.

As the heat ot the hot gases is imparted to the water within theboiler shell l0, said water adjacent to the lower section ot the boiler shell and lire tubes becomes lighter or lower in specific gravity and tends to rise and passes upwardly in the vertical passageways VQ9, 29 between the boiler shellv and outer fire tubes 26, and also up the plurality et 're ical passageways between the lire vtubes 26, 2G ot the groups or banks A, B

ot the boiler` tor the efficient release ot the steam and prevent priming by the rising steam not being able to entrain water in passing to the steam dome. The water ot greater speciiic gravity at the upper section ot the boiler sinks and passes down the vortical passageways 2S, Q8, between the groups or banks A, B1 and C, and replaces vthe heated water having passed up trom the lower section ot the boiler as above described.

This circulation ot the Yater upwardly between the tube 2G and between the tubes and boiler shell and downwardly in the passageways 2S, 28, between the groups lor banks A., B' and C ot the tubes, as indicated by the arrows in -Fig` Q, continues throughout its length and each transverse section ot the boile and iinally the water within the boiler becomes heated to .such a' degree that globules ot steam are tormed which rise with the. ascending column ot water, and on reaching the upper surtace ot the water are liberated trom the water and accumulate in the uppersection or steam space ot the boiler and will be withdrawn there` trom to be used as the occasion requires in thel plant.

tion and operation of the invention, it will be seen that I have devised a boiler of ren turn tubular type, in which the circulation is at all times positive and in a 'well defined circulatory path eras termed by me in a unilow direction, and-all the water at the sides, interior, and eXtreme bottom and at every section of the boiler is kept in constant and rapid circulation.

In providing a boilei of the arrangement 'and grouping of I'ire tubes as shown in the moving paths of water insuring at all times and under all conditions of working lthe boiler and temperaturesof the furnace, a. positive and well defined circulation without t-he aid of mechanical devices, ejectors, dei'lectors, or similar eXpedients.

Alsothe arrangement and grouping of fire tubes causes the proper and active circulation of the water in all planes at rightangles to the longitudinal center line of the boiler, and the rapidity or speed offsaid circulation at different transverse sections along the length or axis of the boiler is in direct proportion to the heat of the furnace gases impinging against the boilerat each particular transverse section, and the circulationof each section' is independent ofthatof any other section, thereby insuring a most efficient operation and 1 steaming of the boiler. i j

From the arrangement, size of and grouping of the re tubes a maximum amount of heating surface is obtained and averaging fifty per cent. more than is usually obtained in'a boiler of the same diameter and length made according to the old constructions.

Lso

By providing the proper circulation and arranging the size and number of fire tubes as in the present invention, there is obtained a rapid moving thin film of water within the boiler adjacent to a large heating surface formed by the many iireftubes, and at the same time there is created af suiiicient cross-section tube area, which lenables the maximum volume and temperature of heated gases to pass through thetubes at the best velocity to efficiently and quickly convey` the heat of said gases to the water arranged to the best advantages and plurality of films in said boiler to receive said heat, thereby greatly increasing the heat transmission eiiiciency from the furnace gases to the water.

From the'foregoing disclosure as to construction, inode of operation and advantages of my invention, it will be readily seen that l allthe .objects recited in my statement 'of invention are fully carried out, and while tubes being have described and shown my preferred form of invention, l do not limit myself to these specic forms, as many changes and modifications will readily suggest themselves `to anyone skilled in the art, as torfexample, instead of three groups or banks oi' fire tubes, as shown, tour, five or any other number of groups or banks ot lire tubes could be equallyv wellv employed, where it is desired to obtain greater horsepower or volume of steam, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Vihat I claim is: j

l. A return flue boiler comprising a shell, a plurality of separated groups or banks oi horizontal tire tubes arranged within the shell from the upper section of the boiler downto the lower section ot'v the boiler shell and the outer tubes ot the outer groups being spaced from the boiler shell, thereby forming unobstructed narrow longitudinal vertical passageways between the groups or banks of fire tubes and passageways between the outer tubes and the boiler shell, said ver`A tical passageways between the groups of arranged intermediate of the central vertical plane and the outer' shell of the boiler, whereby when heat vis applied toy the exterior of the lower portion of. the shell and to the interior of the iire tubes, the water vwithin the boiler shell. elevated at the upper and central section of each group ot' iire tubes during the generation of steam within the boiler, is permitted to directly pass into and circulate in a downward'divrection inthe vertical passageways between theV groups or banks of iiretubes to the bottom section ot the boiler .and thence inan upward direction between the rows of ire tubes in each group .or bank and in thi; passagewaysv between the boiler shell and the outer rows of tire tubes of the outer groups or banks and the generated steam will pass unobstructedly into the Lipper steam' space of the boiler. 'l I i 2. A return Hue boiler' comprising ashell, means for yheating the underside of the shell',

` apl'urality of separated groups or banks of` horizontal re tubes arranged within the shell from the upper section of the boiler down to the lower section of the boiler shell and the outer tubes of the outer groups being` spaced from the boiler shell, thereby forming unobstructed 'narrow longitudinal vertical passageways betweenv the groups or banks of fire tubes, and passageways between the outer tubes and theboiler shell,

said f vertical -passageways between the groups of tubes being arranged intermediate yof the central vertical plane and the outer shell of the boiler, whereby when heat is applied to the exterior-of the lower portion of the shell and to the interior of the fire tubes, the water within the boiler shell elevated at the upper @ad @gn/m1 section of each group of lire tubes during the generation of steam within the boiler, is perinitted to' directly pass vinto and' circulate in a -downward direction in the vertical passageways between the groups or banks of fire tubes to the bottoni section of the boiler and thence in an upward direction between the rows of fire tubes in each group or bank Areturn flue bo-iler comprising a shell, a plurality of separated groups or banks ot horizontal fire tubes arranged within the shell troni the upper vsection the v. boiler down to the lower sectionoi" the boiler shell and the outer tubes ot the miter groups bei med frein the boil shell, thereby forming unobstructed narrow longitudinal vertical passageways between the groups'or banks of lire tubes and passa ways between the outer tubes and the boiler shell, said Verticalpassageways between-the groups of tubes being arranged intermediate ol the central vertical plane and the outer `shell of the boiler, Vertical circulating tunnels d-isposed in said passageways between the groups or banks ot lire tubes, whereby wien heat is applied to the exterior oitl the lower portion of the shell'and to the interior of ythe lire tubes,

the water witiiiin the boiler shell elevated at the upper and central section oi each group of lire tubes during the generation of vsteam within the boiler, is permitted to directly pass into and circulate in a downward direction through the vertical circulat ing tunnels between the groups or banks oil' fire tubes to the bottoni section of the boiler and thence in an upward direction between the rows of lire tubes in each group or bank and in the passageways between the boiler shell and the outer rows of hre tubes of the vv,outer groups or banks, and the generated Y steam will pass unobstructedly into the upper steain space of the boiler,

4l. A return flue boiler comprising a shell,

a plurality of separated groups oi banks of horizontal fire tubes arranged within 'the shell from the upper section of the boiler -down to the lower section of the boiler shell and the outer tubes of the outer groups being spaced from the boiler shell, thereby forming unobstructed narrow longitudinal vertical passagewaysbetween the groups or banks of fire tubes and passageways between tlie outer tubes and theboiler shell, said vertical passageways between the `groups of tubesbeing arranged interme- Qdiate of the central `vertical plane and the outer shell of theI boiler, and the lire tubes of each group disposed in straight vertical` rows and staggered horizontal rows and arrai'iged to forni unobstructed straight vertithe lower portion of the shell andl to the interior of the tire tubes the water within the boiler shell elevated at the upper and central section of each group of lire, tubes during the g.::.ieration ot ,steain within the boiler, .is permitted to directly pass into and circula-te in a downward direction in the vertical passageways between the groups or banks olf lire tubes te the bottoni section.' oi' the boiler and thence in ai pward direction between the rows ot lire tube in each group or bank and in the passageways bi,- tween the boiler shell and the outer mits oi" Lire tubes ff the outer group orbanl-:s,aiid the generated steani will pass unobstructf edly into the upper stearn sp, ,7. of the boiler.

5. A, return line boiler comprising a shell. a plurality ot' separated groups or banks ot "ront-al lire tubes ari iged within the shell 'troni the upper section of the boiler down to the lowerA section .of the boiler shell and the outer tubes orp the outer groupsbeing spaced troni the boiler shell, thereby forming unobstructed narrow longitudinal Vertical passageways between the groups or banks oi lire tubes and passa geways between the outer tubes and the boiler shell, said 'vertical passageways between the groups oi tubes being arranged intermediate of the central "Vertical plane and the outer shell ot the boiler, and the two Vupper horizontal rows of lire tubes being disposed Vin staggered relation and arranged to lorni unobstructed straight vertical passageways between said tubes, whereby when heat is applied to the` exterior of the lower portion of the shell and to the interior of the lire tubes, the water within the boiler shell elevated at the upper and central section yot 'each group of fire tubes during the generation of steain within the boil-er, is l'iei'niittedto directly pass into and circulate in a downward direction in the, vertical passageways between the groups or banks of tir tubes tothe bottoni section of the boiler and thence in an upward direction between the rows of tire tubes in each group or bank and in the passage ways between the boiler shell and the outer rows of lire tubes of the outer group or banks, and the generated steain will readily escape through the spaces between the upper two rowsof staggered fire' tubes and the boiler shell, and unobstructedly pass into the upper steam space of the boiler.

6. A return flue boiler comprising a shell, three separated groups or banks of'horizontal lire tubes arranged within the shell .troni the upper section of the boiler down to the 4lower section of the boiler shell and theouter warmes tween the Groups of tubes being arranged inheat is applied to the exterior' of the lower portion oiI the .shell and to the interior of the .tire tubes, the water within the boiler shell elevated at the upper and central section of each group of lire tubes duringthe generation of steain within the boiler, is permitted to directly pass into and circulateina downward direction in the said vertical passage- `ways between the groups or banks of fire tubes to the bottom section of the boiler and thence in an upward direction between the rows of fire tubes in each group or bank Aand in the outer passageways between the boiler shellv and the outer rows of lire tubes of the outer groups or banks, .and the generated steam will pass unobstructedlyinto the upper steam space oi the boiler.

' 7. A return flue boiler comprising a shell, v

ineans for heating the` underside of the shell, separated central and 'two side groups or .banks of horizontal lire tubes'arranged within the shell from the upper section of the boiler down to the lower section of the boilerv shell and the outer tubes of the two side thereby forming two inner unebst .narrow longitudinal vertical passageway/.s .between the central and two side groups or banksvof liretubes anda passageway i:- tween the outer tubes of each of the si( groups and thev boilerishell, said vertical pas sageways between the groups oi tube-s being varranged intermediate of the central vertical plane and the outer shell ot'l the boiler, whereby when heat is applied to the este rior of the lower portion of the shell and the interior of the fire tubes, the water within the boiler shell elevated at the upper and central section of each group of iire tubes during the generation of steani within the boiler, is permitted to directly pass inte and circulate in a downward direction in the two inner vertical passageways between the cen-- tral and two side groups or banks of fire tubes to the bottoni section of the boiler and thence in an upward direction between the rows of fire tubes in each group or bank and in the passageways between the boiler shell and the outer rows of i'ire tubes of each ot the'side groups or banks and the generated steain will pass unobstructedij; into the upper steam space of the boiler.

Howl-inn J. wnesriie. 

